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of her sex, and worthy the relationship she bears to the Right Honourable and noble family from whence she sprang.

William Moore was a devoted churchman and served on the vestries of St. James's, Evansburg, and St. David's, Radnor. His early interest and activity in political affairs brought him a seat in the Asembly in 1733. In 1741 he was appointed a justice of the peace and a judge of the County Court and for a space of some forty years was president judge over the Orphans', Common Pleas and Quarter Sessions Courts of Chester County. During the troubles with the Indians, about the middle of the eighteenth century, he was colonel of one of the county regiments of militia.

From this military connexion grew an occurrence that set the whole Province by the ears and was finally carried to the King for settlement. Judge Moore was a warm supporter of the Proprietary party and in the hot disputes between the Governour and the Assembly about measures of defence against the Indians he energetically espoused the side of the former. The Assembly, being controlled by the Friends, was opposed to armed resistance or the formation of any military organisation. The Governour and a numerous body of the Colonists, on the other hand, realising fully the acute danger from the Indians demanded measures for organised resistance.

When the Assembly was paltering, dawdling, and wasting valuable time about passing a much-needed militia law, Judge Moore wrote that two thousand men would march down to Philadelphia from Chester County and compel them to pass it. The pride of that body, which always took itself very seriously, was wounded and from

that time on it lent a ready ear to the many complaints of the judge's political enemies who sought his removal. While Judge Moore's imperious manner and vigorous, summary administration of justice, coupled with the aristocratic state maintained at Moore Hall, doubtless drew the rustic envy and dislike of some narrow boors in the neighbourhood, there can be little question that the great majority of the complaints charging him with tyranny, injustice and extortion were inspired by political enmity ever ready to catch at any straw of accusation or slander.

The Assembly summoned Judge Moore to answer these charges. He, however, conceiving that they had no authorised cognisance in the matter, very properly refused to appear. Piqued at his repeated refusals to heed their citations, they declared him guilty of extortion and many other misdemeanours and asked for his removal from the bench. Following close upon this Moore published in several of the newspapers a review of the Assembly's action terming it "virulent and scandalous" and a "continued string of the severest calumny and most rancorous epithets conceived in all the terms of malice and party rage."

The new Assembly, with substantially the same personnel as the old, as soon as it convened, retaliated by procuring a warrant for the judge's arrest and sent two armed men to Moore Hall to fetch him to gaol. They haled him to the city and cast him into prison along with Provost Smith, whom they accused of complicity in preparing the objectionable document, which they ordered should be publicly burned by the hangman.

Denying the justice of their imprisonment, they both

refused to plead and after being confined with common felons for about three months they were released. Thereupon Provost Smith went to England and carried the grievance to the King. The matter resulted in a victory for Moore and Smith and an expression of "His Majesty's high displeasure to the Assembly for their presumption.

At the outbreak of the Revolution Judge Moore remained loyal in his allegiance to the Crown and was most vehement in his disapproval of any attempt on the part of the Colonies to separate from the mother country." During the encampment at Valley Forge Colonel Biddle and other distinguished officers were quartered at Moore Hall, where they were courteously treated by the master. Any allusion, however, to the right of the Colonies to throw off the British yoke would throw the old judge "into a state bordering on apoplexy." On one occasion when a party of soldiers, sent to deprive Loyalists of their arms, went to Moore Hall and found the haughty occupant confined to an easy chair, suffering from a frightful attack of gout, which did not tend to improve his irascible temper, they discovered a most beautifully wrought sword, the handle of which was inlaid with gold, silver, and precious stones. They were about to make off with it, when Judge Moore insisted on having a last look at the prized heirloom. No sooner had he taken it in his fingers than he snapped the blade from the handle. Holding the hilt tightly in his right hand, he threw the useless blade at the feet of the leader of the party. "There," he cried, with flashing eye, "take that if you want to fight, but you shall not rob me of my plate!"

Despite his reputation for irascibility and arrogance, Judge Moore was a kind and loving father, an indulgent master, and ever generous in his hospitality. His indulgence, however, was not always requited with gratitude as we may infer from an advertisement in a newspaper of 1730, which incidentally gives a pleasing domestic touch as well as an insight into the judge's wardrobe. It says:

Run away from William Moore of Moore Hall, in Chester County, a likely young Negro Man, named Jack; speaks but indifferent English, and had on when he went away a new Ozenburg Shirt, a pair of striped homespun Breeches, a striped ticking Wastecoat, an old Dimity Coat of his master's, with buttons of Horseteeth set in Brass and Cloth sleeves, a Felt Hat, almost Whoever secures the said Negro and will bring him to his Master or to John Moore, Esq., in Philadelphia, shall receive Twenty Shillings Reward and reasonable charges.

new.

WILLIAM MOORE.

Judge Moore died in May, 1783, and was buried on the threshold of St. David's Church, Radnor, where everyone entering passes over his body. Lady Williamina died a year later and was buried beside him. Moore Hall eventually passed from the family and is now owned and occupied by a brother of former Governour Pennypacker.

LOWER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP, MONTGOMERY
VAUX-BAKEWELL-WETHERILL

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T the crest of a rising ground on the northern bank of the Schuylkill, almost directly opposite Valley Forge, stands Vaux Hill, or Fatland, one of the historic spots of a neighbourhood abounding in Revolutionary memories. So closely is the house screened by great ancient trees that only in winter when the leaves are fallen can one catch a glimpse from a distance of its stately white porticos gleaming through the interlacing branches. Here, in 1775, just before the outbreak of the Revolution, came James Vaux, of Croydon, near London, sprung of ancient but impoverished line, and took up land, attracted, doubtless, in part by the name of the district, which truly reflects its character.

The Vaux Hill or Fatland estate covers a large part of what was known to the earliest settlers as the fat land of the Egypt District. It was so called by them because of its natural character. Lying just below the confluence of the Perkiomen Creek and the Schuylkill River is a broad acreage of meadowland, so regularly inundated during the spring freshets and, after their subsidence, so deeply encrusted with a rich deposit of alluvial soil, brought down from the upper river, that its resemblance to Egypt and the life-bearing overflow of the Nile was too close to pass unnoticed.

James Vaux, the progenitor of the elder branch of the

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